clematis
Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud'
Overview
The Clematis ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ is an amazing, twining woody vine with large, vibrant lavender-blue flowers. It produces an abundance of blossoms throughout the growing season that attracts butterflies and bees. The attractive, toothed, deep green foliage and the hint of sweet almond-like fragrance in the flowers accentuate the ornamental beauty. This spectacular deciduous vine is easy to care for and can be easily pruned and trained to adorn your home or garden. Its vigorous growth habit makes it an ideal choice for covering fences or trellises with its majestic beauty. The Clematis ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ is truly an amazing plant that will certainly add stunningly beautiful colors and scents to your garden.
Care Guide
Watering
This particular species of clematis (Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud') should be watered thoroughly once a week during its flowering season. After the flowers have faded, reduce the amount of watering to about 3 or 4 times per month. During the non-flowering season, it should be watered only when the soil has chance to dry out. It should never be allowed to dry out completely. The best way to water this clematis is to give it a deep watering of about an inch or 2 of water per week. Make sure to water the soil and not the foliage as this species of clematis is susceptible to fungal problems and water on the leaves can cause it to become infected. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy at all times.
Light
Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' does best with 6-8 hours of full sun during the morning then filtered shade in the afternoon. When possible, it should be planted in a location that will receive morning sun, but have it shaded by mid-afternoon. This will help to avoid overheating of the foliage, which can damage or kill the plant. Additionally, if the area where the Clematis is planted is particularly windy, some additional protection may be necessary in order to reduce wind stress, such as a fence or hedge.
Temperature
Hardiness zone 4–9.
Pruning
Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' should be pruned twice a year to keep it looking its best and to promote healthy new growth. Pruning should be done in late winter (February to March) and again in mid-summer (July to August). In late winter, prune the plant back to about 2 feet from the ground. This will remove any dead or diseased stems and encourage strong new growth in the spring. In mid-summer, after the initial growth is complete, prune the stems that are producing flowers. Cut them back to just 2 or 3 buds from the main stem. This will keep the plant from becoming overgrown and ensure more beautiful blooms in late summer and early fall. Overall, it is important not to overprune clematis, as this can severely damage the plant and prevent it from flowering. Pruning should also be done with caution to avoid damaging the stems.
Propagation
Layering Propagation, Cutting, Division, Grafting Propagation
Related plants
Other plants you might like if you grow clematis.
